The Haunting
by TheLoneClone
Summary: Each of the Walton children were desperately waiting for the Halloween season. Even their father and grandfather did, too. But none of the Walton family members were prepared for the terrifying adventure to come this certain day. And the danger gets even worse when a vengeful husband joins the chase for the maniac loose on Walton's Mountain. Rated T for violent and scary scenes.
1. Prologue

_In the days on Walton's Mountain, my family—especially the youngest generation—enjoyed the Halloween season. In fact, everyone, besides my mother and grandmother, enjoyed the time of the year that was referred to by many of the women of Walton's Mountain as the "Devil's Night."_

 _I remember it on one of those days that my siblings and I, without our father and grandfather to help us, had an unexpected fright, one of the few we ever had on Walton's Mountain…_

\- from the journal of John Walton, Jr.


	2. That Time of the Year Again

It was that time of the year again.

"Halloween's coming soon, children!" Grandpa announced happily at the dinner table. Grandma rolled her eyes. "Zeb, you're too old for these childish holidays! Why don't you care about anything of importance, like the church?!"

Zebulon Walton chuckled, pulling his wife Esther in for a strong hug. "Let go of me, you old goat!" Esther shouted, pulling away. The grandchildren—all seven of them—laughed as their grandmother swatted at their grandfather with a dish towel.

Olivia rolled her eyes, looking to her husband. John Walton turned his head at the sound of his name. "What is it, Olivia?" he asked, resting his elbow on the table.

"Are you taking the children out to go out trick-or-treating?" she asked, a hint of bitterness in her voice. John smiled. "Come on, Olivia! It's one of the children's favorite things to do!" The rest of the Walton family was busy in conversation, so were oblivious to the couple's discussion.

"I don't care what they love to do! It's not a safe night—possibly the most unsafe night of the whole year!"

John could see Olivia's sudden flare of anger at him, so he smiled, leaning back. "I'm sorry, Liv, but I just don't see anything wrong with taking the children out on Halloween." Before Olivia could respond back quickly to him, John raised up a hand and continued. "Grandpa and I will keep an eye out. And I know that John-Boy and Jason will watch out for 'em too."

Olivia sighed, knowing it was useless to continue to argue with John. "Fine. Whatever you want to do." The two got back to their meals, delving into the other family members' conversations. Even though she knew that the men of her family would do anything to protect the children, she had a feeling that trouble was coming this particular Halloween season.

* * *

"Come on, Ep, what're you gonna do about it?!"

Sheriff Ep Bridges turned around, facing Cameron Winshaw. The thirty-five year old man was standing with his hands resting on the table, looking deeply at the sheriff. "Look, Cameron, I told you that I'm gonna keep my eye out for anyone acting odd or unusual!" Ep shouted, turning around again.

Cameron snorted. "Well, some sheriff you turned out to be!" He turned and marched to the door, ripping it open. Quickly, he glanced over his shoulder and added: "If you don't do anything about it, then I will!" Ep sighed as he heard the door slam shut and its hinges rattle, followed by the crunching of Cameron's feet down the gravel road. Ep hoped that there was no violent stranger lurking in the area of Walton's Mountain. Because he knew if there was, then no good would come from this Halloween.

* * *

 **Here's Chapter 1 of my first story based on the Waltons TV series, the Haunting! I hope y'all enjoyed it, and I'll keep on posting more chapters as I continue writing. This story is set between seasons 3 and 4 of the show. Thanks for reading, and I hope you stick around for more!**


	3. A Peculiar Sighting

John-Boy Walton glanced up from his desk at the sound of the scraping outside. "What in the world…" he muttered, trying to get a better look outside the window.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a loud screeching sounded, and some…thing jumped up at the window, causing John-Boy to jump back onto his bed. The creature—what appeared to be some disfigured monkey kind of animal—hobbled away, jumped off the roof, and then scampered into the distance.

John-Boy was still in shock. Pulling the pair of eyeglasses from his forehead, he rubbed his face, only to hear a knock at the door. "Who is it?" he demanded, and the calm voice of his next-oldest sibling, Jason, sounded. "It's me, John-Boy. Can I come in?"

Smiling, John-Boy turned to the door and gripped the handle. "Sure." As he pulled it open, he wasn't prepared for what greeted him. Standing in the doorway was another wild-looking being!

John-Boy swung a hand up and prepared to shove the thing back. "Hold it, John-Boy, it's just me!"

Sighing, John-Boy dropped his hand and tore the mask from Jason's head. "Now what do you think you're doing?!" he asked, tossing the mask into the corner of the room. "Aw, come on, John-Boy, I was just goofing around!" Jason chuckled marching into the bedroom. He stopped at the desk to skim over the sheets of paper John-Boy had been scrawling another short story on.

"What's this one about?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at John-Boy. The older brother snatched the papers from the desk, swatting Jason on the back of the head with them. "They _were_ about the Ouija board that one time when Luke was staying with us, but now I think it'll be about the annoying brother of mine who is driving me crazy!"

Jason cackled as John-Boy shoved him out of the bedroom. "Wait a minute, John-Boy, I've gotta tell you something!"

Sighing, John-Boy pulled him back in. "What is it, Jason?" Jason crossed his arms. "I thought I heard a scratching kind of noise outside just now. Did you hear it?" he asked, looking at his older brother. John-Boy smiled. "I didn't only _hear_ it, I _saw_ it!"

Jason's jaw dropped. "Saw it? What do you mean?" John-Boy sighed. "Right before you came in, something jumped at me at the window." He looked at Jason with determined eyes. "It wasn't you, Ben, or Jim-Bob, was it?" he asked. Jason shook his head. "No. All three of us have been inside since supper."

Thinking hard, Jason glanced up to John-Boy. "Come to think of it, I remember Mary Ellen mentioning a rustling she heard in the leaves on our walk home from school. It may have been just a dog or deer or something, but it could've been a person, too."

John-Boy rubbed his chin. "I think we'd better keep an eye out. With Halloween coming up, who knows what might happen." Jason nodded, standing up. "I hear you, brother." He marched out of the room, then glanced over his shoulder. "Good night, John-Boy."

"Good night, Jason."

* * *

 **Chapter two is here! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **The next chapter's gonna be a build-up for the Halloween excitement, so it won't be long until the action takes full-speed-ahead! Thanks for reading!**


	4. The Murder

A scampering noise outside of the Walton home awoke Jim-Bob, the second youngest member of the family. The boy rose his head up from the pillow of his bed. "Ben?" he whispered, looking to see if his red-headed brother was somewhere moving about.

Ben was sound asleep in his bed.

Glancing up, Jim-Bob saw that Jason was beneath his blankets, resting in peace. Jim-Bob flung the covers off of his body and stepped from the bed. Slowly, and carefully, Jim-Bob moved to the window, peering outside.

A flicker of something slipped behind the large, rounded tree in the front yard. Leaning forward for a closer look, Jim-Bob waited impatiently as nothing came. He sighed, and then moved back towards his bed. He knew that he wouldn't be able to look at whatever it was tonight. Especially not alone.

So, with the thought of the strange specter outside, Jim-Bob spent several hours trying to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Jason and the five other children marched down the road to the one-room schoolhouse. "Hey, Jason!" Erin called, looking back to her brother. The pretty, young girl grinned as she saw her older sibling looking off into the distance of the trees. She stopped and marched up towards Jason. "Jason!" she called louder, directly beside him.

Shaking his head, the brown-haired teenager stopped and glanced to Erin. "Hi Erin. What's wrong?" he asked, shifting the schoolbooks underneath his arm.

"You've been off in your own world ever since breakfast," announced Mary Ellen, marching up. Jason smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I guess…I'm just thinking about this Halloween." The other three kids—Ben, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth—returned to the rest of their siblings.

"What's the holdup?" Ben asked, his trademark grin spread out across his face. "Nothing," Mary Ellen said, smiling. "Jason's just off in the clouds again." Elizabeth, her red ponytails slung over her shoulders, chuckled. "He must be in love." The other brothers and sisters started jabbing Jason with their hands, giggling.

Sighing, Jason marched past them. "That's not it," he said, smiling. The Walton children continued to march behind him, spitting out questions left and right. Jason simply ignored them, letting out a sigh of relief when the Walton's Mountain Schoolhouse, the teacher Ms. Hunter, and several other children came into sight. "Thank the Lord for school," Jason said, smirking, as he marched past his siblings.

* * *

John-Boy pulled his tan coup into the yard of the Walton household. Inside the mill, he could see his father and grandfather working on some lumber supplies, so, after delivering his schoolbooks into his bedroom, John-Boy rushed outside to give a helping hand to his elders.

"How was school today, son?" John asked, lifting a wooden plank upon the mill's saw. "It was fine, Daddy," John-Boy replied, grabbing another plank.

Grandpa smiled, glancing up. "Looks like the rest of the children aren't coming yet. Boy, of all the days to be late, it had to be when we needed 'em."

John smiled, patting his own father on the back. "Come on, Pa, don't wear yourself out. If you feel like taking a break, come on inside." Grandpa smiled, looking to his son. "I wasn't saying the children should be here to help me, John, but to help _you_!"

John-Boy snickered as the saw cut the planks into halves. After about half an hour of working, Olivia and Grandma both marched outside. "Here's some refreshments," Olivia announced, placing a tray of glasses of lemonade down on a nearby table.

"Ah, just what I needed to refill my worn-out self," Grandpa smiled, smacking his lips. Grasping a clear glass of the yellow liquid, he tipped it up at his mouth, filling his parched throat. "If you're so worn out, old man, why don't you come inside?" Grandma declared, resting her hands on her hips.

"I am not 'worn out,' old woman, I was simply…needing to be refueled." He placed the glass in his wife's hands, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Now, I think this old truck needs another gallon of gas to be refueled again with." Grandma groaned, swatting her husband's stomach. She marched inside almost immediately.

Olivia smiled as both John and John-Boy returned their glasses to the tray. "That was real good, Liv," John complimented, smiling to his wife. Olivia gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Mr. Walton," she said, and then she turned to John-Boy. "Real good, Mama," he spoke, looking to his father and grandfather. "Well, I guess we should get back to work."

John nodded. "I guess so."

* * *

Cameron Winshaw's head slung up as the scream sounded. Dropping his hoe, Cameron rushed to his barn, snatched up his hunting rifle, and darted to the cornfields.

It was his wife's scream.

"Hang on, Margaret, I'm coming!" Cameron shouted, cocking his weapon. Within seconds, he came across the fields, his rifle in hand. Scanning the area, he saw nothing, but he knew it must be some trick by that newcomer to these parts.

"Margaret?!" Cameron screamed, searching around. "C-Cameron?" a slight whimper let out, and the farmer rushed to the sound of his wife's quiet voice. Lying down beside a small row of corn stalks was his dark-haired wife, whose matching brown hair was lying in a growing pool of blood.

Margaret had been stabbed in the torso three times.

"Margaret," Cameron slowly stuttered, dropping his rifle. He dropped to his knees, and gathered his wife up in his arms. "Stay with me, Margaret," he pleaded, hugging her close. "Please, don't leave me like our son did!" Thoughts of his fifteen year old son Jeffrey came to mind, being run down by that speeding Rockfish visitor.

With her soft, gentle touch, Margaret reached up, stroking her husband's cheek. "I-I'm sorry," she muttered, and Cameron tugged her close. "I'm not going t-to make it, C-Cameron," she stuttered, and Cameron could feel her slipping away.

"No, please don't go, Margaret!" he practically screamed through tears. "It's too late, Cam," she slowly spoke, whispering into his ear. "You were right about that person you saw. He _is_ terrible looking!"

And with that, Cameron's wife died. The farmer knew what this meant. Something awful had happened to his wife, and he was going to get revenge on whoever did it.

* * *

 **Here's chapter 3! The action just got deeper with the end, so be waiting for more excitement in chapter 4. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Also, are there any ideas for my second Waltons story you would want? Just PM me one or leave it in the reviews!**


	5. Danger on the Horizon

Sheriff Bridges turned his head up as his office's door slammed. Cameron marched inside, his eyes red from tears—presumably. "What's wrong, Cameron?" Ep asked, leaning back in his chair.

"My wife's been killed!" Cameron yelled, slamming his fists on the table. Ep's jaw dropped. "Margaret—dead?" he asked, leaning forward. Cameron nodded. "Yeah! She was stabbed to death," he muttered, looking to the desk. "I-I'm sorry, Cameron," Ep said, standing up. "Do you know who did it?" he asked.

Cameron lifted his head up. "What am I supposed to do, Sheriff? Yell out, 'Hey, you! Before you kill me wife, can you tell me your name?'"

The sheriff sighed. "I didn't know if you saw the killer or not. But without any leads, I'm afraid we can't do much." Cameron snorted, turning around. "Some help you've turned out to be. You didn't come to help us handle the killer at the beginning, and now my wife is dead!"

He slung open the door, storming outside. With one last glance over his shoulder, he muttered, "If you won't do anything, Sheriff Bridges, then I'll handle this myself."

Jason, Mary Ellen, Ben, Erin, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth all walked down the path from the schoolhouse to their two-story house. Jason kept his eyes peeled for any suspicious-looking characters to be lurking about.

"I'm gonna be a ladybug for Halloween," Elizabeth announced. Jim-Bob and Ben chuckled, but stopped once Mary Ellen shot them an icy glare. "Don't laugh at Elizabeth. If she wants to be a ladybug, she can be a ladybug." She shot one final stare at her younger brothers. "Got it?"

They both nodded, and then Mary Ellen marched past them to stand beside Jason. "What're you gonna be for Halloween?" she asked him, clutching his schoolbooks tightly. Jason shrugged. "I don't know." He shook his head: "Trick-or-treating is for kids."

Ignoring his older brother, Ben spoke up. "I'm going to be a soldier." Erin laughed. "Good luck. Mama's not going to go along with you on that." Ben shook his head. "It doesn't matter what Mama thinks: Daddy's gonna be taking us."

Jim-Bob chuckled. "Well, you know how Mama can make Daddy do anything she wants. There'll be no way you can be a soldier with Mama around." Ben sighed. "What about you, Erin?"

Smiling, the girl twirled around, whisking up her dress. "I think I'll be a dancer or a princess. Something nice like that." Ben and Jim-Bob snickered with their hands over their mouths. "How about you, Mary Ellen?" Elizabeth asked.

The oldest girl shrugged her shoulders. "I was thinking of being a nurse. They've got really cool jobs." Ben glanced over his shoulder. "Jim-Bob?"

Jim-Bob smiled. "I'm gonna be a mechanic."

Jason, however, had not heard Jim-Bob's sentence: he had caught sight of a flash of movement in the woods beyond. "What the—?!" he exclaimed, dropping his arms. Each of the children glanced up to him, their mouths hanging open.

"What is it, Jason?" Mary Ellen asked. Jason ignored her question. "Run!"

"What?" Ben looked around in surprise. "Just listen to me and run to the house, all of you!" With one last glance to each other, the children took off to their house. As little Elizabeth tagged along behind, not as fast as the others, Jason grabbed her and lifted her onto his back.

Within thirty seconds, the six children had reached their home. Olivia and Grandma both stormed outside, and John, John-Boy, and Grandpa rushed from the mill. "What in the devil is going on out here?!" John demanded, dropping one of the hatchets he was carrying.

Based on the look on his face, he may have been planning to use it.

"Jason says he saw something back there, on the road to and from the school," Erin panted in between breaths. "Yeah!" Elizabeth added.

"I think Jason might be a bit loony," Ben chuckled, marching into the house. "I agree," Mary Ellen said, following suite. Laughing like their siblings, Jim-Bob, Erin, and Elizabeth stomped inside. Grandma and Olivia stepped into the house to fix snacks for the children, while John and Grandpa walked back to the mill. Jason heard his father mumble something to Grandpa.

"What got into you, Jason?" John-Boy asked, rubbing his brow. "I-I think I saw something back there, on the way home from school," Jason said, ruffling his brown hair. He pointed down the dirt road. John-Boy sighed. "It may be this suspense playing tricks on you," he spoke, turning back to the mill, "but it could also be otherwise."

Jason nodded, and then walked into the house to do his homework.

Silently, an unseen figure watched from the bushes and trees around the dirt road, his squinted eyes closing even more. Beneath the folds of his garments, the person twirled the barrel of the pistol he was holding tightly in his hands.

 **Here's chapter 4! Soon, the children are going to be stepping out of their house to face the greatest challenge they ever faced before—without their parents! Hope you guys enjoyed it, and thanks for reading! Don't forget to review, favorite, and follow!**


	6. A Threat

The police car of Ep Bridges pulled into the Walton house's driveway. The stern sheriff stepped from his vehicle, placing the brimmed hat of his onto his head. He marched straight to the front door.

After a few knocks, Ep turned around and waited for a few seconds before the door opened. Turning back around, Ep saw Olivia standing in the doorway, wiping her hands with a towel. "Well, good morning, Ep! How are you today?" she asked.

The sheriff nodded. "Fine, Olivia. Where's John?" he asked, looking into the living room. "Is he in?" Olivia nodded. "Yes." Stepping onto the porch, she pointed to the mill. "John's in there, working with John-Boy and Grandpa."

Ep smiled, turning back to his friend. "Thanks, Olivia." Olivia waved back to him as he stepped from the porch, marching to the wood mill. "Goodbye, Ep! It's been nice seeing you again!"

With a few brisk steps, Ep arrived in the Walton mill. John, Zeb, and John-Boy all looked up from their work to see the local sheriff standing in the doorway. "Ah, good morning, Ep!" John announced, turning off the saw. The three generations of Walton men marched to Sheriff Bridges, extending their hands.

"Howdy, John. Zeb, John-Boy."

Zeb stroked his chin. "By the look of your face, I have to say that you haven't come here for a social visit." Ep nodded. "You're right, Zeb." He looked straight at John. "I've got some bad news, John. Margaret Winshaw, Cameron Winshaw's wife, was stabbed to death the other day."

Each of the men's mouth dropped and their eyes widened. "I don't believe it," John mumbled, rubbing the stubble on his face. Zeb sighed, pressing down his white mustache. "I don't believe we've had a killing in these parts for over ten years." John-Boy silently cursed in his mind; the man that he had seen _had_ to be the killer!

Ep nodded. "That's all I came by for, John. I just wanted to warn you to be on the lookout." He marched to the mill's doors, and before he stepped outside, he added, "And if you were planning on taking the kids out tomorrow for Halloween, I suggest you keep your eyes open."

John and Zeb nodded, waving goodbye to the sheriff. As he closed the door, John turned around. "I don't know if we ought to take the kids out or not, John," Zeb declared, leaning on the wall. "Oh, I'm gonna take 'em out, Pa," John replied, resting his hands on his hips. "And if I see anyone who tries anything, then, by God, it's going to be _very_ hard to keep me off of that sorry son of a—" he started, only to hear Olivia's voice ring out.

"John!" she shouted, and the Walton man stopped in the middle of his curse. "Yes, Liv?" he replied, turning around. Olivia looked as if she hadn't have heard her husband begin to curse the man; she wished she hadn't.

"What did Ep say?" she asked, crossing her arms. John looked to both Zeb and John-Boy, and then spoke: "Erm, Ep told us that…Margaret Winshaw was…killed by a murderer." Olivia's face immediately fell. "Margaret Winshaw? You mean Cameron's husband?"

John nodded. Olivia sighed, and then turned around. Quickly, she flung back around to face her husband. "You aren't taking the children out still, are you?" she asked. John nodded again. "Yes, I am, Liv. Some old—" he started, but Olivia's face warned him not to swear "—murder isn't going to stop me from letting my children enjoy their Halloween."

Olivia sighed. "Then just what are you going to do, John? Go door to door, trick-or-treating with the children, with a rifle in your hands?"

"Now hold on, Liv!" John practically yelled, grabbing his wife. "I'm not going to go out with a rifle like some maniac scared of his own shadow!"

He turned around, and then looked back over his shoulder. "That doesn't mean I'm not gonna take any precautions, though. I've heard that those handguns have become pretty popular nowadays," he said, crossing his arms. "Pa and I may take one for each of us."

But before Olivia could respond, John turned around, stomping off.

John-Boy and Jason sat by Druscilla's Pond, their fishing poles resting beside them. "Do you think all of this mess with the murderer will come to anything?" Jason asked.

John-Boy shrugged. "I sure hope so. I couldn't bear to worry about some lunatic traversing our homely mountain." Suddenly, behind both of the Walton boys, a voice sounded. "Who's a lunatic?"

Both of the young men jumped up, sending their fishing poles flying. Jason's flung into the water of the pond. Standing, secluded behind some bushes, was a man clothed in dark garments. The boys noticed a knife and pistol both jutting from his waistband. "W-who are you?" Jason stuttered, stepping back.

"There's no importance in me telling you my name," the man snorted, smiling. "I just wanted to let you fellas know: I'm not gonna be leaving this mountain until I get what I want."

"And what is that?!" John-Boy demanded, standing straight. The man chuckled, his fingers tapping the leather-bound handle of his revolver. "Your sisters." Both of the boys exchanged looks. "What makes you think we'll just hand our sisters over to you?" Jason asked, resting his hands on his hips.

In response, the man pulled the knife from his pants slowly. John-Boy and Jason backed up. "I think this speaks for itself," the man remarked, turning the blade of the knife. Small splotches of blood on the weapon's sharp end clarified that this man was, indeed, Margaret's killer.

Flashing the Waltons a smile, the man turned and walked away, uttering a single sentence: "So long, boys."

 **Here's chapter 5! So yes, this man is here for the young Walton girls. What's going to happen next? Will he fulfill his desires? Or will John-Boy, Jason, and the others stop him before its too late? Leave your thoughts, comments, and reviews in the review section, and don't forget to follow or favorite! Thanks for reading!**


	7. The Danger is Multiplied

"We can't tell Daddy about what happened by Druscilla's Pond."

Jason looked at his older brother with alarm. "Not tell Daddy? But John-Boy, we have to! If we don't then the others will go out trick-or-treating!"

John-Boy sighed. "That's the exact reason we can'tto tell him! If we do, then it'll ruin Halloween for the other children." Jason looked unsure. "Come on, Jason." John-Boy looked at Jason with hope. The younger brother nodded. "Fine. I just hope nothing happens."

John-Boy nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

The Walton children were each suited up for their trick-or-treating fun. Elizabeth was a ladybug, Ben a soldier, Jim-Bob a mechanic, Mary Ellen a nurse, and Erin was a princess. Jason was adding the finishing touches to his British officer outfit, and John-Boy was marching down the stairs in his police officer uniform.

"A policeman, huh?" Jason asked, smiling. John-Boy shrugged. "Hey, it's what I wanted to be." The two oldest siblings followed their five brothers and sisters out the door while John and Grandpa spoke with Olivia and Grandma.

"I sure wish you weren't taking them out," Olivia said sternly, glaring at her husband. Esther only shot Zeb an icy stare. "Aw, come on, Liv. The children'll love it, and we'll keep 'em safe. Right Pa?"

Zeb nodded, clasping his hands together. "You've got that right, son." John marched over to his desk, pulling open the drawer containing two pistols. "Here you go, Pa," he said, sticking one out to his father. Zeb waved it off, however. "I don't need one of them things, John. You take one." John shrugged, but placed one of the guns back in the drawer. He stuffed the other one down into his right pocket.

After each man gave his wife a quick kiss, they marched outside, where the seven children were conversing with one another.

"Who knows," John heard Erin say to Jason, "you may find some damsel in distress who needs rescuing from a loyal, British soldier." As she, Ben, Jim-Bob, and Mary Ellen laughed, Jason turned to John-Boy and whispered something into his ear. John couldn't quite make it out.

"You sure about this, John-Boy?" Jason whispered into his older brother's ear. The laughter of his younger siblings sounded behind him. "Don't worry, Jason," John-Boy replied, smiling to his brother. "Everything will be just fine with Daddy and Grandpa here."

Jason nodded, and as he pulled back, he saw his father looking at him curiously. He decided not to mention anything to John-Boy—he probably looked suspicious enough to his father without whispering to him again.

Within thirty minutes, the Waltons had finished their usual trick-or-treating rounds. Each child had a pillowcase stuffed full with many different candy items, and John-Boy was sure that he had seen the Baldwin sisters slip some money into the sacks as well.

"Looks like you each had a good haul," John observed, pulling a small fruit-flavored candy from Ben's bag. As he chewed on it, he nodded, satisfied. "Mhm. This is really good, son," he announced, grabbing two more. He handed one to his dad. "Come on, Pa, try it." Grandpa nodded, stuffing the candy into his mouth.

After he, too, made the same announcement as John, the nine Waltons stopped outside of Ike Godsey's General Store. "You children stay out here," John ordered, marching inside. As he walked past John-Boy, he muttered, "Keep an eye out."

John-Boy nodded as his father stepped into the store. He didn't, however, see the glint of a shiny pistol cocking, and the silent movements its owner made through the bushes and trees.

This Halloween just took a hundred leaps forward into the danger zone.

 **Here's chapter 6! The action is about to get much more intense in the next chapter! What do you think will happen? Leave your thoughts on this chapter—and the rest—in the reviews section, as well as any thoughts on my next Waltons story's plot. I've already got a few selected, which I'll reveal in the final chapter of this story. Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue on to chapter 7!**


	8. Escape

"Hold it," the stern voice ordered. John-Boy spun around, the sight of the gun's barrel leveling cutting him off before he could speak. Jason only let his jaw drop. Soon, the other children had all seen the man.

Ben had begun to jump up, but the mysterious stranger moved the pistol closer to Jason, who was the closest of the Walton children.

"Don't do it, bud, or you'll have one less sibling." As an answer to this man's demand, Ben lowered himself back to his seat.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Erin's side; the older girl returned the motion as Mary Ellen glared icily at the stranger. Jim-Bob looked back over his shoulder, hoping his father and grandfather would both hurry up.

John-Boy reached out with a hand. "L-look…you don't have to do anything like this! We haven't done anything!"

The man smirked, tapping his fingers on the carved wooden grip of his knife. "It's not what you've done that's making me cautious; it's what you _might_ do."

He leaned back, his smile growing. He pointed out to Mary Ellen. "You. Out of the truck, sweetheart." Mary Ellen simply stared at him in silence. The man's smile disappeared. "Hey—I gave you an order, girl. Get out of the truck. Now."

There was no movement in the back of the Walton truck.

Quickly, the man jumped towards the truck, grabbing Mary Ellen by the wrist. "I said get out, you!" he barked, pulling her from the truck. As she landed with a _thud_ to the dirt ground, Jason jumped at him. "Why you sorry—"

But he wasn't able to finish. As he stretched back with a fist, his jaw connected with the balled fist of the stranger. He fell back onto the ground, clutching his chin. John-Boy couldn't make a second step before the man aimed his pistol at him warily. "Don't move, boy. Or one of your siblings here'll get it."

John-Boy listened, but waited carefully. If he made another move onto a sibling that he didn't like, he would risk being shot to protect them. _What can Daddy and Grandpa be doing in there?!_

The man looked down, grabbing Mary Ellen and jerking her up. She let out a light whimper. "Let go of me!" she barked, slapping out at him. Ben stood up again in the truck. The man stuffed his pistol in his waistband, wrapping both hands around Mary Ellen's arms. "Come on, Nurse…you know you'd like a guy like me," he said, leaning towards Mary Ellen as his eyes examined her nurse outfit. But he didn't get a chance to do whatever sick thing he wanted to.

With a swift leap, Ben dove from the truck and tackled the man to the ground. His silver sidearm flew away and John-Boy yelled out, darting to help Ben. "All of you! Run!"

The man was already lifting Ben up, throwing him to the side. The red-headed boy let out a cry as he slammed into a tree, a few meters away from the discarded pistol. He was already blacking out when John-Boy and the stranger were locking arms.

John-Boy was able to get a swift punch in as it connected with the man's gut. He let out a grunt, but reached for his pistol to either shoot or smack the teenager with it. He was shocked once he felt nothing but his clothing. _So be it,_ he told himself, grabbing the knife at his hip. He tore it from his belt, slashing across John-Boy's arm. The young man flung backwards, his clothing torn.

* * *

Inside Ike's general store, John and Zeb were conversing with Ike Godsey himself and his wife, Corabeth, who was a relative of the Waltons. "Yeah, I've heard of all that's happened with the Winshaws. It's terrible," Ike said, looking down to the ground. "I couldn't imagine what it feels like losing a child and spouse."

Corabeth nodded solemnly in agreement. "Yes. John, did you bring your children with you?" The question seemed to come out of nowhere. "Why yes, Corabeth, I did. We went out trick-or-treating."

Corabeth placed her hands on her hips. "Well! I wouldn't leave my children out in the middle of the night with a mad, deranged killer on the loose! I'd be at home with a gun in my hands!"

Ike chuckled, rubbing his chin. "Corabeth…You? With a _gun_?" Ignoring the comment, Corabeth turned to John. "I guess we'd better be heading on home," John said, turning to the doorway. But the next thing he heard made him jump:

 _"_ _DADDY!"_

John-Boy's yell was crystal clear, and John knew that something was wrong. "Ike…get your gun!" John yelled, tearing his sidearm from his pocket and darting for the doorway.

"I'm coming, John-Boy!"

* * *

 **I'm so, SO sorry for the late updates. This story—along with more "Waltons" stories—will be coming soon! I've got some ideas already; I'll reveal them in the last chapter! Please leave other ideas if you have them, and I'll get back to you! And please, PM me for any reason and rate and review! Thanks for reading!**


	9. The Run for Home

John darted outside, raising his pistol and holding it steady with both hands. "John-Boy! Where are you?!"

A figure—John-Boy—rolled over, getting to his feet. "Here I am, Daddy! That fella…he came here and cut me," John-Boy said, motioning to his torn shirt. John nodded, lowering his pistol—slightly. "Where are the rest of the children?"

John-Boy pointed towards the woods outside of Ike's shop, just as the store's proprietor and Zeb exited the building. Each was wielding a hunting rifle from Ike's personal collection.

"Jason led 'em out of here, just as that fella and I were tangled up. Next thing I knew, he cut me and threw me to the ground and went off after them."

As John turned to go after his children, John-Boy caught his arm. "They're in real trouble, Daddy. That guy's…creepy."

The older man squinted his eyes. "What do you mean, John-Boy?"

John-Boy looked to one side, then the other. "He was…I don't know how to explain it, Daddy! He was just…acting creepily to Mary Ellen. But before he could do anything, Ben—"

Suddenly, the young, aspiring author turned around. "Ben!" he shouted out, diving to his younger, red-headed brother, who was crumpled up beside a tree. John, Zeb, and Ike ran towards John-Boy and Ben. "Pa, you and John-Boy take care of Ben. Ike and I will go and try and stop that fella."

Zeb placed a hand on John's arm. "Wait a minute, son: I want to go too. I won't let some stranger go around and mess with my grandchildren!"

John-Boy stood up. "Me either, Daddy. I want to go to." Ike lowered his rifle. "John, you, Zeb, and John-Boy go off and help the others. Corabeth and I will take care of Ben." John sighed, nodding. "Fine." Ike nodded back, handing his rifle to John-Boy. "Here; go help your brothers and sisters."

The young man smiled. "Will do."

Quickly, Ike rushed over to help Ben up as John-Boy and Grandpa leapt into the back of the truck. John jumped into the driver's seat, speeding off to help his children.

* * *

"Just keep running!" Jason yelled, glancing over his shoulder.

The stranger was closing in on them, his knife glinting in the dim moonlight. Jason turned back, the figures of Mary Ellen, Erin, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth coming into his view. Jim-Bob and Elizabeth were off to one side, while Mary Ellen and Erin were staying close together.

 _I'll have to go help whoever this guy goes after_ , Jason thought to himself, slowing his run to turn and see where this creep was going.

There was nothing.

No one was standing where the man just had been. Jason gulped solemnly, his head snapping back and forth. "Where'd you go," he mumbled to himself, backing up.

Suddenly, he bumped into something that was behind him. Something that wasn't there a second ago.

Turning slowly, all Jason could see was a man standing there, a rifle clutched tightly in his hands. The Walton boy slapped out with a hand, smacking the stranger's arm.

"Hold it, Jason Walton!"

The voice was familiar; Jason knew it almost immediately. "Mr. Winshaw?!" he asked, hopefully. The voice didn't sound like the stranger's.

"Yeah," the husky voice of Cameron Winshaw spoke. "Are you running from that stranger that's been lurking about?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah…he was just chasing me and the others." Cameron sighed. "That sheriff hasn't done his lawful duty…well, stay clear, Jason. Bullets may start flying."

As Cameron marched forward, Jason grabbed his shoulder. "You mean—you're gonna shoot at him?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah…he's killed me wife, boy! I'm going to avenge Margaret if it's the last thing I do," he said, stepping again.

Jason didn't loosen his grip. "But what if a stray bullet hits one of my brothers or sisters? You'll have shot an innocent person in your mad rampage!"

Cameron spun around. "I know what I'm doing, Jason. I know who I'm gonna be shooting at, and it's not one of your siblings." He turned back, this time without any movements out of Jason. He soon was striding away into the shadows of the forest.

* * *

Mary Ellen and Erin skidded to a stop just beside a familiar tree: They were getting closer to home!

"Where are the others?" Erin asked, looking around. Mary Ellen shook her head. "Let's just hope that…that sick man didn't get to them!"

Erin nodded, looking out into the dark of the woods. "I don't see any lights of the house from here," she said, straining her vision. "Good. That way no one will be here to stop me once I get started."

 _Oh no…It's him…_

Erin turned slowly to see the stranger standing there; his knife was tucked away in his waistband. Mary Ellen slowly stood, stepping in between the stranger and her younger sister. "Erin…run. As fast as you can. Just try and get home and have Mama and Grandma lock the doors."

Erin stepped back, a look of surprise on her face. "What?! I'm not going to leave you, Mary Ellen!"

The stranger was simply smirking. "Fine. That means I'll have you both to pick from."

With a swift kick, Mary Ellen sent a chunk of dirt at the stranger's face. He was able to quickly turn his head, but not fast enough to stop the complete hunk of hitting his face. Rubbing the dirt specks from his eyes, he started to stagger forward.

"Go! Now!" Mary Ellen barked, turning to see Erin already sprinting for the house. Mary Ellen simply started running, not turning to see how close the stranger was to her.

* * *

 **Here's chapter 8! There should be one or two more chapters left in this story until it's all over! I hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Hunt for Freedom

Jim-Bob stuck out a hand to keep Elizabeth from running into the creek that was running in the middle of the woods. "Hold on!" he barked, and she skidded to a stop.

"Whew," she muttered, breathing heavily. "That was… _close._ "

Her older brother nodded in agreement. "Yeah…let's not do it again." He turned to backtrack, only to see a figure marching in the shadows.

In his hands was a rifle.

"Elizabeth, down!" he whispered as loudly as he could, pulling his sister down to the ground as he collapsed. Elizabeth strained her eyes to see what he was looking at. "What? What is it, Jim-Bob?" she asked, a little too loudly.

"Be quiet!" Jim-Bob hissed back, looking at her. "He might see us."

Elizabeth's confusion was present on her shadowed face. " _Who_ might see us?!"

Before Jim-Bob could answer, a shot escaped the gun's barrel. The figure was running to cover behind a tree. Jim-Bob ducked down as the bullet slammed into the nearby tree's trunk. "Get back! Get back!" Jim-Bob ordered, falling down on flat on his face as he tried to scramble to cover.

Elizabeth had already followed her brother's commands, running behind the appointed tree. Jim-Bob was crawling to the same tree as another shot rang out, sending dirt and dust into the air.

Dirt and dust that had been right where Jim-Bob was lying.

Jim-Bob panted as he and Elizabeth sat side-by-side against the tree's trunk. Another shot was fired, another chip of bark splintered from the tree.

"Jim-Bob, what are we gonna do?" Elizabeth asked frantically. Her fear and worry were clear in her voice. Jim-Bob looked off into the distance. He thought he could make out three figures sprinting off towards a dim light.

"There! There's Mary Ellen, Erin, and Jason! They're running to the house!" He stood up, grabbing Elizabeth's arm. "Come on, Elizabeth! _Run!_ "

The two ran quickly, ignoring the next gunshot. And the next. And the one after that.

* * *

The figures that Jim-Bob had seen were not, in fact, Mary Ellen, Erin, and Jason. Two of them were right, yes, but the third was the stranger.

And he was catching up to Mary Ellen very quickly.

Erin threw a glance over her shoulder as the stranger shot out a hand, grabbing Mary Ellen's wrist.

Mary Ellen let out a shriek as the man grabbed her arms, pressing her against a nearby tree. She tried to pull away, but couldn't escape his grasp. She could feel his breath beating upon her face. She tried to strike out, but couldn't.

For one of the first times in her life, she was truly scared.

He pressed his body against hers, smirking. "You know you want me, sweetheart…" But before he could continue any further, a pair of interlocked hands smashed down on his head, sending him to the ground.

Erin stood behind him, panting. Mary Ellen glanced up to her, but then motioned on. "Run! Get going!" With a swift kick she left the stranger on the ground and ran as fast as she could towards the house.

* * *

The truck pulled to a stop on the road, where shouts sounded out in the woods. John recognized his children's yells.

"I'm going in there!" he yelled, tearing from the driver's seat. John-Boy jumped out behind him as Zeb kept his rifle steady. "I'll stay out here in the truck, John. Lord knows I'd just slow you down, and this way I can drive on if I need to."

John nodded. "Okay, Pa! Hopefully we'll come back with some good news!" Zeb smiled, showing his agreement. "Me too, John." He narrowed his eyes at John-Boy. "Help your daddy, John-Boy. And bring back the rest of my grandchildren."

John-Boy smiled up to his grandfather. "I will, Grandpa."

The two quickly stole off into the woods, their weapons loaded. Both of the Walton men kept their eyes peeled for any signs of Jason, Mary Ellen, Erin, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth.

And the stranger that was running rampant.

Soon, John-Boy caught a figure in his sight. "Daddy!" he called out, pointing to the shape that was in the shadows. John nodded. "I see him, John-Boy."

He stopped, aiming his pistol. "Hold it right there!" he yelled. John-Boy got into a settled position with his rifle. The figure's voice was familiar. "Don't shoot! It's me, Jason!"

John and John-Boy lowered their weapons. Jason ran into the clearing, his face matted with sweat. He was clearly worried and fearful.

"Where are the others, Jason?" John demanded, lowering his weapon. Jason pointed off into the woods. "They ran off…Daddy, I saw Cameron Winshaw out here."

John nodded. "I'd think as much. That stranger killed his wife."

Jason shook his head. "You don't understand, Daddy; he's gonna be shooting at him, and that means one of his bullets may hit one of the others! We have to stop him. John sighed, rubbing his temples. "Jason, you and John-Boy stick together and go off that way." He pointed towards a direction in the dark woods. "I'll go this way." He motioned towards another portion that was appointed as his hunting grounds.

The two brothers nodded. "Will do, Daddy," Jason said, turning to the shadows of the woods. "Well, are you ready, John-Boy?" he asked. The older of the two young men nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be, Jason."

* * *

 **Here's chapter 9! Just one more chapter to go, and then the epilogue, and…we're done! Thank you for sticking with this story, even amidst its breaks, and I hope you enjoy the end and the other Waltons stories to come!**


	11. Showdown

John-Boy and Jason ran into the clearing. John-Boy's hands had grown tired from carrying Ike's rifle. Jason glanced over to his older brother. "Say…um…John-Boy, do you mind if I carry the rifle for a little while?"

The young writer glanced down to his borrowed weapon and then to Jason. "I guess it won't hurt anything. Here you go." And with that, he placed the weapon into his younger sibling's hands. Jason fingered the wood and metal combination of the weapon, the icy cold of the barrel prickling his skin.

"Come on," John-Boy said abruptly, motioning forward. "Let's go look for the others." Jason nodded in agreement, following his brother deeper into the woods.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a gunshot rang out, followed by two more, in rapid succession. Both of the Walton boys flinched, and Jason's hands tightened around the rifle.

"Wha—What was that?!" Jason asked confusedly, his face now fixated in an expression of fear. John-Boy gulped. "Gunshots. I'm going to guess that Mr. Winshaw must've found what he was looking for."

He turned to Jason. "Come on. Let's go." Jason nodded, stretching out the rifle. "John-Boy—here. You take it." The older Walton boy nodded. "Sure, Jason." He reclaimed the weapon and turned to the direction of the shots that had been fired, and then the two took off into the woods.

* * *

Jim-Bob felt the stinging pain in his leg as soon as the bullet hit.

The shell hadn't passed through Jim-Bob's skin; actually, it had only merely skimmed his leg. The young boy collapsed in the dirt, looking down to his leg. Even among the shadows, he could catch a glimpse of crimson-red blood leaking from the wound.

He mumbled something under his breath out of earshot of Elizabeth. The red-headed girl skidded to a stop, turning around. "Jim-Bob!" she cried out, darting back to her older brother, stopping at his side. But he was already climbing to his feet. "Run! I'm fine," Jim-Bob muttered, shoving Elizabeth ahead. She didn't have to be told twice.

A yell sounded out from behind them. "Hold it, you! There's nowhere else you can run to! I know I've hit you!"

A puzzled look came over the two Walton children's faces. "Is that…Mr. Winshaw?" Elizabeth asked. Jim-Bob shook his head. "I don't know, but it doesn't seem like he's in a friendly mood. Just keep running!"

Elizabeth nodded, darting ahead. Jim-Bob trailed closely behind, ignoring the pain that the bullet had aroused in his leg muscles as he ran as far as the injured limb would allow.

* * *

Cameron Winshaw cursed, lowering his rifle. "I know I hit him," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. The dense woods had begun to make him start to sweat.

Cameron continued his trek through the woods, his weapon cradled in his arms. He was going to get that killer and make him pay for the murder he had committed if it was the last thing he did.

And if it came to killing, he would do just that.

* * *

Mary Ellen and Erin couldn't feel more excited to see their house and the familiar landscape than they did once they entered their yard. Smiles of hopefulness covered their faces as they bounded towards the front porch.

"Mary Ellen—" Erin started, but her older sister cut her off. "Not now, Erin; just get inside! We'll have time to talk later."

Erin nodded, jumping up the first step. Mary Ellen followed close behind. She tossed a glance over her shoulder, watching for the stranger. He wasn't in sight.

The front door swung open and Olivia and Esther rushed outside. "What's gotten into both of you?" Olivia asked, hands planted firmly on her hips. Erin shook her head. "We don't have time to explain, Mama!" she exclaimed, pulling her mother inside. Mary Ellen shoved her grandmother before her.

"Be careful, Mary Ellen!" she snapped. "Don't go around shoving your elders."

Mary Ellen spoke firmly next: "But Grandma, Mama, you don't understand! There's a strange man outside; he separated us from the rest of the children and he hit Ben and John-Boy and…oh, where's Daddy and Grandpa?!"

The distress was very clear in her voice. Olivia turned to Esther. "Grandma, get the front door. I'll go get the kitchen door." Esther nodded, moving to lock the door marking the front entrance into the house.

Olivia marched into the kitchen, striding right to the secondary door. After locking it, she turned…and ran face-to-face with the gun rack where John's weapons were kept.

Slowly, she reached up and fingered the weapon's wooden stock, removing it from the rack. "Oh, what am I doing?" she asked herself, returning the weapon to its place. "Lord knows I'm never going to shoot a rifle, especially at another human being!"

She sighed, marching out into the living room. "Where are John and Grandpa…"

* * *

John heard the gunshots when they had been fired just as Jason and John-Boy had.

He stopped mid-step and turned, his gun held tightly wrapped in his fist. He quickly started to run towards the sound of the gunshots, his weapon ready to fire if need be.

His sprint cut short once a figure came into view. The shadowy shape was wielding what appeared to be a hunting rifle, and he was aiming it in a direction where two other figures—both of which were smaller than him—were running off.

John recognized instantly that they were Jim-Bob and Elizabeth.

 _"_ _Hold it!"_

The figure heard his yell as John raised the pistol in his hand, pulling back the hammer. "Don't make a move!"

But the lone man didn't listen; quickly, he ran to a nearby tree and popped off two shots, both of which sailed over John's head. The Walton man ducked down, firing his sidearm at the mysterious figure.

Suddenly, from behind John, a trio of bullets whizzed by, firing off at the figure in the distance. John spun around, only to see John-Boy standing close by, his weapon's barrel trailing with smoke. Jason stood close to his brother's side. "John-Boy! Jason! Am I glad to see you boys!" John spoke happily, smiling.

The two nodded to their father. "Same here, Daddy. Is that the stranger?" John-Boy asked, motioning with the rifle Ike had loaned him. John nodded. "Yep. He was shooting at Jim-Bob and Elizabeth; I'd know those two anywhere, even in the dark woods."

Jason looked off into the woods. "Did they go that way?" he asked, pointing into the darkness. John nodded in acknowledgement. "Yeah."

The teenager nodded to John and John-Boy. "I'm going to go help them find their way home."

John patted his son's arm. "You do that, Jason, but stay down; I don't want the stranger to see you and start firing." Jason smiled. "Don't worry, Daddy, I'll be quiet."

Jason quickly stole off into the woods, keeping close to the shadows. John-Boy pressed himself up against a tree, training his rifle on the figure's location. "I've got a clear shot if he pops out again."

John nodded to his oldest child. "Okay, keep your sight trained there. I'll try to get in a little closer." John-Boy didn't move a muscle as his father started off towards the stranger's location. If the man so much as poked his head out to fire, John-Boy would put a hole in him. As much as he hated to shoot a human, he would do so if it meant preventing the death or injury of one of his siblings or his father.

* * *

Jim-Bob and Elizabeth ran off into the woods towards the light of their house's porch, but a rustling of leaves at their side caused them to stop and jump.

"Hold on! It's me, Jason," the familiar voice of their older brother caused both of the Walton children to relax. "Jason!" Elizabeth exclaimed, throwing her arms around her brother's neck. The two brothers nodded to one another; Jason didn't expect the same response to come out of Jim-Bob.

"Come on, let's get you back home."

Elizabeth pointed to Jim-Bob. "Jason, Jim-Bob was shot in the leg!" The oldest of the three looked to his younger brother. "What? Really?" he asked.

Jim-Bob shook his head. "Aw, she's making a big deal out of nothing. It just skimmed my leg. It should be healed in a week or so."

Jason smirked. "Too bad Mary Ellen wasn't with you. She could've patched it up, being a medic and all." He turned back to the house. "Well, let's go. Daddy and John-Boy are handling that stranger back there."

The two younger children exchanged looks. "But Jason, that's Mr. Winshaw!" Jim-Bob exclaimed.

Jason's surprise was clear on his face. "Wait—it is?" He rubbed his forehead. "Oh no…then that means…the stranger's still on the loose." He turned around now, suddenly feeling an urge of discomfort and uncertainty: If he didn't warn John and John-Boy, then Mr. Winshaw would be injured or killed. But if he went to warn them, then the stranger may hurt one of his siblings.

He sighed in regret. "Come on. I still need to get both of you back home. Then I'll go tell Daddy and John-Boy."

* * *

Ike's motorcycle—with Ben in the sidecar—pulled up outside the Walton house. Ike waited as the red-headed teenager climbed from his position, rubbing his sore back.

"Hope you get to feel better, Ben," Ike said, scratching the back of his head. Ben nodded in agreement. "Same here, Ike." He waved to his older friend, stepping towards the house. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ike. Maybe we'll have an update."

Ike nodded. "I'd like one sooner than that. I want to know if that lunatic's still running rampant on the mountain."

Ben chuckled in agreement. "You're right there…hopefully Daddy and Grandpa can catch him. I'll try and talk Daddy or Jason into letting me drive the truck or car up to the shop and telling you."

Ike smiled. "Good luck to that."

Ben returned the grin. "Thanks. I'll need it." He turned to start up the stairs as Ike drove off, only to see Jason, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth enter the front yard.

"Jason!" Ben exclaimed, stepping from the porch, hands in his back pockets. "Where are the others?" he asked.

Jason shrugged. "Daddy and John-Boy are back there with Cameron Winshaw. I guess he thought Jim-Bob or Elizabeth was the stranger and shot at 'em. Daddy and John-Boy don't know that it's Mr. Winshaw yet; they think it's the stranger. I don't know where Grandpa, Mary Ellen, or Erin are at."

Elizabeth looked to Jim-Bob then back to Jason.

"Wait a second…Jim-Bob and I saw three people running here. We thought it was you, Erin, and Mary Ellen."

Jason and Ben exchanged glances, and then Jason kneeled down in front of Elizabeth. "Did you see where they went?" he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nope. That's when Jim-Bob and I started getting shot at." Jason sighed, standing up. "We need to get inside and see if Mama or Grandma have seen Mary Ellen or Erin."

Ben nodded. "Agreed."

The four Waltons walked onto the front porch, where Jason tried the doorknob: It was locked. He started to pound on it with his fist. "Mama? Grandma? It's me, Jason!"

After a few seconds, the door slowly opened and Olivia stood at the door. "Jason! Ben! Elizabeth! Jim-Bob! Where have you all been?" Jason shrugged towards the woods. "Back in the woods. John-Boy, Daddy, and Grandpa are still back out there. I don't know where the girls are at."

Olivia motioned into the house. "They're in here." Before she could respond any further, Jason and Ben leapt from the porch. "Okay, Mama! Thanks! We're going to help Daddy and John-Boy!"

But before Olivia could object, a voice sounded. A voice that was all too familiar…

"Well, if it isn't the Walton home itself. And Mrs. Walton, I presume?"

The stranger emerged from the shadows, juggling his knife around in his hand. Olivia and the children didn't make any movements. "What do you want?" Jason asked pleadingly.

The man chuckled. "I've already told you: your sisters." He looked up to Olivia, and then smirked wickedly. "But maybe your mother would do just as well."

Olivia didn't make any movements. "You're treading on a rough road," she sternly said. "My husband wouldn't let you get away with it."

The stranger shrugged. "By the time he shows up, I'll be done and gone." He stepped towards the house, only to be blocked by Jason and Ben. "Don't try it," Ben ordered, but the man cracked his neck. "Don't worry. It won't be trying."

* * *

John slowed down as he came in close to the stranger's location. More shots were fired from his position at John-Boy's, but no screams came. That was a good sign, at least.

John crept forward slowly, his gun held at the ready. The figure was only a few inches ahead, yet his face was concealed by shadows. _Not like I'd know him, anyways,_ John thought, nibbling on his lip. He decided that now was as good a time as any.

He jumped up, his gun leveled. "Hold it! Don't move!" The figure lurched, uncovering the face of…Cameron Winshaw!

A look of surprise covered John's face. "Cam—?!" he started, only for a shot from the man's rifle to slam into his side, sending him flying to the ground. The pistol fell into a nearby clump of leaves and dirt.

"Daddy!" John-Boy cried out, firing his own weapon. The shot slammed into Cameron's arm, sending his own gun down to the side. John-Boy darted towards his father, his gun held to the side.

Cameron looked on in surprise at the two Waltons—one of which had been shot by _him_.

"What have I done?!" he muttered to himself. "Then I must've shot…" The thought of his bullet hitting the fleeing figure entered his mind. "…one of the other Walton kids."

John-Boy, at his father's side, held pressure on his father's wound. "I need some help! The house shouldn't be far from here!"

Cameron nodded, realizing that he has caused a lot of trouble—and risked a lot of lives. He turned to John-Boy. "Come on. Let's get him back to the house."

* * *

The stranger struck out with a fist, sending Ben down to the ground. _This is the second time this guy's knocked me to the ground today!_ Ben thought, clambering back to his feet as a punch sent Jason back a few steps.

Ben dove at his foe, tackling him to the ground. Jason ran to his brother's aid, striking out with a fist, which pummeled the man's jaw. As he collapsed onto the ground, Jason went down to help Ben pin him down.

Jim-Bob ran from the house to his brothers' help. Olivia's cry for him to stay back was of no use; he wasn't going to stay out of this struggle. Coming down hard between his brothers, Jim-Bob helped keep the stranger down on the ground.

Suddenly, from out of the woods, came Cameron Winshaw, John-Boy, and John, who was holding his side.

"John!" Olivia cried out, running to her husband. Cameron leveled his rifle at the sight of the killer that the Walton boys had on the ground. "Let him go."

The three boys nodded, getting to their feet. John-Boy kept Ike's rifle at the ready in case the stranger tried anything.

The stranger moved to stand, climbing to his feet. He stared into Cameron's face, sneering. "So…it's you again."

Cameron nodded. "Yeah…it's me again." He turned to John. "Hey, John, I'm sorry for—" But John cut him off. "Hey, Cameron—don't worry about it." His old friend nodded, smiling. "Okay. Thanks, John."

The mill worker shook his head. "Not a problem, Cam."


	12. Epilogue

_That very same night, the stranger was driven up to Rockfish and placed in the custody of Sheriff Ep Bridges. He was taken to court within the next week and convicted of murder and sentenced to a life in prison._

 _The days that followed were lived out in a form of suspicion; the residents of Walton's Mountain feared that another prowler may show up at any time. But none did for a long while._

 _For my family itself, we grew closer during that terrible ordeal. Now, during every Halloween, my brothers and sisters recount the tragic events that had occurred that fateful year…yet we still continue to love the season of the year that we call Halloween._

\- from the journal of John Walton, Jr.

* * *

 **There was the finale of my first "Waltons" fan fiction story! I hope that all of you enjoyed this tale as much as I enjoyed writing it, and that you will come back to read my next "Waltons"-themed story, featuring Elizabeth and Drew Cutler, just before their marriage! Thanks for reading, and please rate and review, and send me any requests in the review section or through PMs.**


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